Author
Topic: new vs. old track (Read 106 times)

My grandson (4 YO) loves trains, especially Lionel. The Fas Track is pretty expensive. Is there a problem buying up some of the much cheaper older track I see on many websites? Any downside to this? Remember it from when I was a kid.

Old tubular vrs fastrack... I use old/used track exclusivly. Last piece of brand new track I got was in 1958 with the Marx/Allstate electric train I got for Christmas. Some of mine is from the 19 - teens and twenty's, easily 100 years old and still in use. To be honest, the very worst/rusted, I convert into two rail to run my wind up trains on.I personally don't care for the noise fastrack makes, you don't get the clickety clack as the train goes roundy round from it as you do with tubular track.Used/old tubular track can be acquired very inexpensivly, often you can get enough for free from train friends & acquaintences. I've purchased what to me, is new track, very inexpensivly from folk either removing their layout or upgrading. My switches and crossovers are all vintage with the patina of rust. Some of the older pre war and post war locomotives do not work well on fastrack switches.I take heavy aluminum foil, not the stuff on rolls, but the stuff they make foil pans out of and use it to clean and polish the rail tops. works well. Make sure you have a needle nose pliers to make sure all the track pins are tight and connections secure. clean with a bit of fine sand paper, a rat tail file or small roll of sand paper to clean out the inside of the rail end so you get a good connection. make sure all joints crimped tight.Hope this helps.Happy Rails!dave